Sensor Technologies
Accurate inspection data is a vital element of every asset integrity process. We have decades of experience by inspecting billions of kilometers with different sensor technologies. The constant development and deployment of optimized sensor systems for the detection and sizing of geometry anomalies, metal loss, and cracks give us the flexibility to act fast and adopt to every condition and requirement. Especially our expertise in developing sensors for in-line inspections allows us to transfer this knowledge not only to other assets but also to open up new business fields.
Until now, no single inspection technology can detect and size all combinations of all features that may be present in an asset. But since we research, develop and manufacture sensor technologies ourselves, we are able to connect a variety of our modular inspection technologies and merge them on one tool to comprehensively assess various types of threats. By combining different types of sensors and thus complementary technologies, we increase our identifying, detecting and sizing capabilities.
Evolution of sensor technologies
The timeline covers only a small part of our many sensor technologies, however the complete diversity cannot be represented in only one graph. Our sensors are not only limited to in-line inspections. Over decades we have covered many sensors for different applications and areas to measure any kind of material deformations. Even our classic MFL was used for something else in 1986: We developed a fish counter for which data-reduction algorithms had to be developed. The insights gained here were implemented when initially reading MFL data.
We further developed sensors that have proven their worth repeatedly, through stability and reliability to expand the application borders step by step. Some sensors we have developed from scratch – depending on the needs, the market and innovations in the technology area. Of course, our sensor technologies are also used regularly and reliably in connection with future fuels, e.g. H2, CO2 and NH3.
Our smart sensors are able to evaluate material properties by detecting all types of material deformation. Using several of our sensors, our RoMat services, such as RoMat PGS for strength and pipe grade determination and RoMat DMG for hard spot detection and assessment provide a sequential “pipeline DNA” breakup delivering populations based on diameter, wall thickness, strength and pipe length respectively internal and external hard spots.
Electro-Magnetic Acoustic Transducer (EMAT)
EMAT is a non-destructive testing technology that has applications in a wide range of industrial sectors to assess the condition of manufactured objects.
Applications
We use this innovative inspection technology to couple ultrasonic energy into pipe walls without the need for a liquid medium. This makes our EMAT in-line inspection technology particularly effective for detection of stress corrosion cracking and mill-related features. It enables detection of coating disbondment, identification of different types of coating and facilitates the measurement of wall thickness and possible metal loss.
Magnetic Flux Leakage (MFL)
MFL technology is a widely used, non-destructive testing method for the detection of corrosion and pitting in steel structures.
Applications
We have a long history with MFL. Starting with the detection of metal loss features in pipelines, which we have developed further to high-resolution detection of even the smallest corrosion defects as well as hard spots, we now also apply it for the detection of metal loss features in industrial assets such as tanks or piping.
Conventional and Phased Array Ultrasound
Ultrasound is a well-established non-destructive testing method to measure wall thickness and detect flaws in materials.
Applications
Throughout the last years, we developed a core competency in applying ultrasound technology. It is capable to detect axial and circumferential cracking as well as any type of milling features or metal loss anomalies in various industrial assets, such as pipelines or storage tanks.
Next to conventional ultrasound, we provide our Time-Of-Flight Diffraction (TOFD) system which is the only existing ultrasonic technology able to detect and quantitatively size both axial and circumferential cracks in a pipeline. This is possible by using pairs of sensors with one functioning as a transmitter and the other as a receiver.
Our Tethered Ultrasonic Measurement-Wall Thickness (TUM-WT) for pipelines aims to detect metal loss at an early stage before they become leaks with possibly catastrophic consequences.
Eddy Current (EC)
Eddy Current testing is based on electromagnetic induction and can be used to detect flaws in conducting materials or to measure the distance between a sensor and a conducting material.
Applications
EC testing can be used to inspect physically complex shapes such as deformations or dents and to detect small cracks on the surface of an asset. It is also applied for the identification of variations in material properties. EC testing helps to understand integrity threats which is key to establishing a strategy for the materials verification process.